title: A programable calculator system for the estimation of nutritional intake of hospital patients.
abstract: The estimation of nutritional intake of hospital patients is made laborious because of the multiplicity of proprietary feeding products. A programable calculator-based system to estimate intake from oral, enteral, and intravenous sources is described. The system is portable, accurate, and rapid and can be used easily by nondietary personnel. A retrospective study using the system found that actual nutritional intake was 20% or more below the prescribed intake for over half of 14 patients under the care of a Nutritional Support Team. It is suggested that frequent and rapid assessment of actual daily nutritional intakes using a system such as this can improve nutritional care and allow more efficient utilization of Nutritional Support Service personnel.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards*; D005521:Food Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008905:Minicomputers; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen